


Two, please.

by marimoes



Series: Close Encounters (of the romantic kind) [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, First date Jitters, Gay Panic, They’re both lesbians, Usopp is the ultimate best friend, what more could you need?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 04:44:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19760848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marimoes/pseuds/marimoes
Summary: “Alright, alright. I’m going downstairs to meet her. I can’t let you all scare her off.” Nami warns, and walks toward the coat rack, pulling her crossbody off, “Good night.”“Where was this courtesy with Torao?” Luffy argues, “No. She meets all of us. Right now. Someone call Sanji.”Nami shoots Luffy a look and he sinks back into the couch.





	Two, please.

**Author's Note:**

> I dedicate this to Lizbeth, for whom I love very much, and this was supposed to be a drabble for.   
> That obviously turned into a lie. 
> 
> Set in the same universe as Meat Cute.

“For the love of God, will someone please stop her?” Franky groans as he walks down the stairs, “It’s been four hours. Same song. Over and over. How are you all not losing your minds?”

“I kind of like it. Catchy.” Zoro supplies swigging a drink of his beer.

“I liked it...three and a half hours ago.”

“Then it should be about to loop back around to you loving it again.” Luffy smiles sinking down on the couch next to Zoro.

“She’s just nervous is all.” Robin chides from the kitchen, “Everyone handles first date jitters differently.”

“She’s _never_ done this.” Franky counters and looks back up the stairwell, “I’m worried.”

The group gives a collective ‘aww’ and Franky tries to ignore them walking behind Robin. He wraps his arms around her waist and sighs into her shoulder, exaggerating as loudly as he can. She turns her head to place a quick kiss on his forehead before turning back to tend to her food.

“It’s different when it’s someone you _really_ like. I think Nami isn’t prepared for how much she likes her.” Luffy reasons and Zoro shoots him an accusatory look, “This isn’t about me. It’s about Nami.”

The music stops upstairs and everyone stops moving all at once. Waiting to hear what will follow. The sound of Nami’s feet hitting the ground echoes and the soft padding of her feet follow it. Everyone tries to act normal, which leads to them posed uncomfortably, except Robin who returned to stirring.

Nami’s head pokes down beneath the ceiling, hands curled around the stairwell, now painted a new shade of turquoise. Her face is red, almost as if she’s been crying, but they know it isn’t that. Her eyes scan the room, going from Robin, to Franky, to Luffy, to Zoro and she sighs.

“Where is Usopp? I need him.” Nami frowns and Luffy throws a hand further down the stairs.

A look of realization falls on her and she starts to lean forward to continue down, but stops herself.

“USOPP. CODE BLACK.” She yells, trying her best to project her voice down the stairs and they all listen as they wait to hear Usopp’s response.

“What the hell is ‘code black’? How many colors are there? Why don’t I know any of them?” Luffy starts asking, face scrunching into irritation as he’s been left out of the loop.

“USOPP. I DON’T WANNA CLIMB THE STEPS AGAIN MY TOENAILS ARE WET.” Nami again yells and Zoro grumbles.

“I’M COMING. I-ACK-AH-BLACK?” Usopp calls up and the living room answers with a resounding “YES.”

They hear scrambling as Usopp seems to be collecting things around his room, all before his feet hit heavy against the stairs. He climbs quickly, never pausing to stop in the living room, simply hurries up. Nami dips away back out of sight as he follows and the rest of the group hears her door again shut. It’s only moments after that the music starts up again.

“COME ON!” Franky yells and Robin softly pats his shoulder.

Usopp launches himself onto Nami’s bed, legs pushing himself into position as he waits for her to join him. She falls down next to him, their heads side by side as the music drowns everything out. He waves an arm out to everything he brought with him upstairs, silently offering her anything from the collection.

“What do you need? I’ve got it.” He smirks, putting on a voice of a cheesy salesman, “I can make you nerves... _disappear_.”

“What will make me finally pick an outfit and realize that she doesn’t care what I look like? Do you have any of that I can smear on me?” Nami groans and holds her hands up, still waving them dry.

“Ah, yes. I have just the thing. Voila.” Usopp says and runs his hand along a small container, “This face mask will make you realize what is already true. That you’re drop dead gorgeous and this girl will fall for you the moment she sees you again. Also, it will make you smell like honeysuckle.”

“What’s the damage?” Nami sighs and scoots closer to Usopp as he starts to undo the jar.

“For you? My most valued customer? _Free._ ” Usopp says, letting his voice seep further into the persona, “With the promise that once it comes off, you select an outfit.”

Nami closes her eyes as he scoops out a small amount and starts to spread it onto her face. He’s right. It does smell like honeysuckle. It’s cool against her skin, bringing her to breathe slower as he continues painting it across her face.

“You too.” She grumbles, careful not to move her face too much, “You too.”

“Yes, I’ll put some on too.” Usopp smiles pulling his hands back to dip back into the container, “You have to think, for ten minutes, what you’re going to say to her when she gets here.”

They lay there, letting the music loop, the lyrics washing over them. Nami’s hands fidget on her stomach as she keeps her eyes closed. Mind starting and stopping countless scenarios of when she answers the door in half an hour. _Half an hour._

“Fuck!” Nami yells and Usopp flinches next to her, “I have half an hour to get ready. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.”

“Oi, oi, oi. Take a breath. I’ve got it.” Usopp says as Nami lifts off the bed to slip into her bathroom, “Ready? White blouse, the one with the flowers along the collar. Black leather jacket, because, hot. With the uh, what color do you call those one pants? Fuschia?”

“They’re just pink, Usopp. Stop.” Nami sighs and he can hear her drawers opening and closing, “Good idea, though. Those pants make my ass look good.”

“Your ass always looks good.” Usopp says rolling off the bed to follow her.

Nami leans back to look out of the door frame, eyes big, “Do you know that I love you?”

“Only if you know that I love you.” Usopp smiles before clapping his hands together, “Alright. You have twenty-six minutes. You need none of them to look great, but let’s get a move on.”

Nami jiggles the watch on her wrist. Five minutes. Her heart flutters with the passing of each tick on the clock. After all, she’s only talked to Vivi a couple times. Once or twice as she passed by Shachi’s apartment and Nami was out walking Meat.

Only after she finally drew enough courage to do so when Shachi yelled out the window at Vivi as she ran past. Shachi still walks a little funny after that. Not that Nami feels bad about it.

Walking down the stairs into the living room, she’s met with whistles and low hoots from the others. She blushes waving them off for a moment before waving toward herself encouraging the noise.

“That’s my girl!” Luffy yells and Nami laughs hopping down onto the floor, her sandals clicking against the hardwood.

“Alright, alright. I’m going downstairs to meet her. I can’t let you all scare her off.” Nami warns, and walks toward the coat rack, pulling her crossbody off, “Good night.”

“Where was this courtesy with Torao?” Luffy argues, “No. She meets all of us. Right now. Someone call Sanji.”

Nami shoots Luffy a look and he sinks back into the couch. Zoro wraps an arm around Luffy’s neck and pulls him into his chest, leaving Luffy to push against him. With his free hand, he gives Nami a short salute, and she can feel her chest lighten. Opening the door, she slips out with a final wave, and tries to ignore the whistles that follow behind her. 

She walks up and down the front stoop three times and as her eyes scan the street again, she sees blue float around the corner. Her stomach drops, chest again tight and Vivi’s eyes meet hers. A smile pulling across her face as she starts to trot a little faster down the street. Moving faster to see her? The concept doesn’t process.

“Nami!” Vivi calls out and as she comes up to her, Nami nearly throws up as Vivi’s arms slip around her, “You look so cute! Then again, I don’t think I’ve seen you in an outfit I wouldn’t readily steal.”

“Ah-h-yeah.” Nami stutters, arms loose as Vivi backs away from her, “I just throw stuff on. It’s nothing big. It’s nothing.”

“Well, you’ve got a natural eye then.” Vivi ponders, a smirk light on her lips, “Wish I could say the same for myself.”

“You’re kidding right?” Nami breathes out, “You own a mirror, right? Oh sorry. I just-”

Nami is cut off by Vivi’s laughter. She giggles, a mix of a hiss and a squeak and the sound makes Nami’s stomach flip. Her new personal mission being that she wants to hear that laugh as much as possible.

“Alright. So where are we going? What are we doing?” Vivi asks, eyes shining as she bounces in place, “I feel like you’re the type that knows every square foot of this city.”

“Just about! Tonight, though, I thought I would take you to this cool little spot I know. You like mexican food, right? I forgot to ask.” Nami starts to ramble but catches herself.

“Yes! God, I could eat it every day if given the chance.” Vivi sighs, “That sounds amazing.”

“A-alright then. Let’s go.” Nami smiles, trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

The entire way there, Nami feels like she’s floating between two different planes of existence. She and Vivi talk on the metro, both sharing their distaste of when weird men manspread when there isn’t a lot of room, or ever. That Vivi is in school for her masters in political science and that her dad is a senator back home. That she volunteers on the weekends at local shelters and learned to sew so she could donate more to the women’s shelters. That she’s been arrested twice for protests.

All of this is discussed on a train and Nami feels her head swim. _Who is this woman and why the hell is she on a date with me?_ Nami tries to reply the best she can. Telling Vivi about how she works as the restaurant downtown as a server. That her mom is a cop back home and her sister is a tattoo artist uptown. All of it seeming pale in comparison.

You could never tell it from Vivi’s face if you tried. She stays laser focused on Nami, even after they move from the train up to the street. It’s intense, but Nami can tell she’s being genuine. She can tell that this is just how Vivi is.

Nami leads them forward toward a small restaurant, music floating from the open door, and she wonders if she’ll be able to eat at all. If food was a dumb idea, when all she wants to do is throw up every time Vivi so much as grazes her. Vivi lifts up on her tiptoes at the door, trying to look further inside.

“God, Nami. This smells so good! How haven’t I found this before?” Vivi sighs as they walk in, “I may stick around you all the time. Steal all your spots.”

“You sure you’re not a criminal? Steal my clothes? My spots?” Nami teases.

“Can you blame me?” Vivi counters and Nami waves a hand toward the back and receives one back, “Oh, of course they know you here.”

Nami guides them to a small table with two chairs and tosses a hand up, two fingers up, and gets a thumbs up back from the woman behind the counter. Vivi raises her eyebrows, a smile tweaking at her lips.

“What did you just do?” Vivi asks, “Did you just order two of everything?”

“Oh, you don’t have any allergies, right? I’m sorry. Also, do you drink? I forgot to ask. Oh my god, I’m so bad at this.” Nami sighs and runs her hand through her hair, “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, hey. It’s cool. I drink. I eat anything. I’m very easy to please, I promise.” Vivi assures and reaches a hand out across the table, “You can do no wrong.”

The server comes up and places two margaritas on the table, limes garnishing the rim. Along with it, a basket a chips being slid between them. Nami resists the urge to chug the drink in front of her, instead opting for taking a sip. It goes down easy, just as it always does, and she’s glad she chose this place.

Vivi pulls hers up to her mouth and as she takes a sip her eyes widen. A happy hum comes from her lips as she places it back onto the table.

“Holy shit. That’s a good margarita.” Vivi laughs.

“The best in town.” Nami smiles, “The food is even better. Do you trust me to order for you?”

“Of course, this drink just earned you your pass.” Vivi smirks pulling the drink to her lips again.

Nami lifts up her hand again, giving two fingers followed by an ok sign and Vivi giggles. Nami feels her chest flutter again at the sound and pulls her drink up once more. While they wait for their food, they talk. Nami explains her living situation, a little nervous as Vivi’s eyes widen at the number of roommates. Giving a quick rundown of everyone in the group, Vivi’s smile soft as she listens.

The food comes, a sizzling plate of different meats and vegetables, and the wave of heat is nothing on Nami’s face compared to what she’s felt all night. She urges Vivi to dig in, and is surprised when she does just that. So often women are picky with their food when they go out to eat, and living with Luffy has limited Nami’s patience for it.

Vivi hums happily as she chews, holding a polite hand over her face trying not to giggle. She nods Nami on, and after a moment of hesitation, Nami grabs some on to her plate. They eat quickly, a lot faster than Nami anticipated, and with a quick wink orders them dessert.

“Stop doing that.” Vivi says narrowing her eyes, “How many little gestures do you have to order food?”

“Twenty-three.” Nami quips and Vivi snorts.

An honest to God snort and Nami starts considering what they’ll wear on their honeymoon. She’s so much more than Nami could’ve imagined. After watching her run past Shachi’s apartment every weekend for a month, Nami never thought she’d be where she is right now.

Vivi’s hair a soft blue, shining against the lanterns along the wall, a perfect match against her flawlessly tanned skin. She seems otherworldly to Nami, like she just dropped perfectly formed into this world. Ready to take it on.

“I’m full. I’m dead. Please, no more gestures.” Vivi sighs sinking into her chair, “I’m begging you.”

“Alright, alright. No more food. Wanna walk it off?” Nami smiles, her confidence returning, if only for a moment.

Vivi dramatically groans as she lifts from the chair and Nami is grateful that her looks aren’t the only thing out of the ordinary. That with humor like this, she’ll fit right in with the rest of the group. Not that they’re allowed to touch her with a ten foot pole for at least two weeks.

They make the journey back to Vivi’s place. A small little apartment only a block away from Shachi’s and Nami isn’t sure why she’s surprised. It’s closer to the university and a little more quiet than where she lives. Vivi rocks on the first steps, whining softly as she bounces back and forth in front of Nami.

“I wish I didn’t have an exam tomorrow. I would invite you in for a while, but I have to study a little more.” Vivi huffs and Nami tries to make sure that her stomach didn’t fall out of her body. _Inside._

“It’s ok. I’ve got an opening shift in the morning. Maybe, we can get together this weekend? I hear there is this little farmers market on twenty-third and west. If that’s something you’d wan-”

“Oh!! I love farmers markets. You know those little honey sticks? I hate the plastic but, ugh, they’re so cute.” Vivi sighs and blushes, “Sorry, I’m just...excited.”

Nami feels the hair on the back of her neck stand up and a nervous laugh slips from her lips.

“It’s fine. Meet here at eight?” Nami smiles and can feel her lip tremble.

“It’s a date.” Vivi smiles and leans forward wrapping her arms around Nami once more, “You know you can hug me back, right?”

Nami nervously laughs as she brings her arms around Vivi. Her hair smells like jasmine, her skin like peaches, and Nami doesn’t want to let go. She starts to realize it’s always going to feel like too much.

“Good night, Nami. See you saturday.” Vivi says pulling away before bouncing up the steps, giving one last look before she slips in.

“Good night.” Nami says, heart thrumming as it tries to break free from her chest.

She walks, trying to keep her pace steady until the turns the corner, waiting until she’s free from Vivi’s gaze. Hand fumbling in her jacket, she pulls out her phone, struggling to unlock it. She bounces nervously at the crosswalk, grumbling as cars pass, and at the first opening she bolts across. Tapping her favorites she taps the icon, finger shaking on the screen and presses it against her ear.

The line connects almost instantaneously and Nami nearly yells in relief. The other side stutters, never forming any specific sound, and Nami takes the chances to blow out the breath heavy in her chest before speaking.

“Usopp, get to Shachi’s apartment right now. We gotta talk.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on Twitter: @__moes__  
> Or tumblr: @noswordstyle


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